Slip-joint friction seal closure for



Feb. 14, 1956 l. F. RoBERsoN 2,734,654

SLIPJOINT FRICTION SEAL CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed April 17, 195:5

INVENToR. Se/:4 /z-/PoERsQ/v 4 r rap/v5 Y United .States Patent 2,734,654 p sur-JOINT FmerloN ASEAL cLosURE non CONT-Amiens# Y Israel F. kohersonjLakewood, Ohio Application Aprn17, '1953, serial No. 349,363

4 claims. (ci. zzo-42) This invention relates, generally, to the class of socalled friction top cans or containers for holding paint or other liquids, and more particularly to an improved closure means therefor of the slip-joint friction seal type.

An object of my invention is to providfe, in'this class of containers, a slip-joint connection between the lid and neck of the container that affords a plurality of very effective friction seals, thus making the container especially suitable for use with the more volatile paints and liquids.

Another object is to 4provide closure means` so designed and constructed as to facilitate removal and replacement of the lid; in the latter case, without danger of throwing paint or liquid on adjacent objects, or causing it to ooze over the edge and run down the side of the container-.h faults common among conventional types of friction top cans.

Another object is to provide a slip-joint connection of the character described wherein the friction surfaces are wiped clean of paint or liquid each time the lidis applied so as to avoid interference with their uniform contact and sealing function, and in such manner that the portion of the removed paint or liquid that is exposed tothe congealing iniuence of the atmosphere is out vof contact with the edge of the lid and will not hinder removal of the lid when said portion of the paint or liquid becomes thick or dry.

A further advantage of my novel construction is that a small amount ofthe displaced paint or liquid is conned between adjacent friction seals out of contact with the atmosphere where it contributes lto the over-all seal-y ing effect of the connection.

When cans of the class to which my invention pertains are used for holding Apaint of diierent colors it is necessary to apply the color designation to some part of the can where it may readily be seen when the can is on a shelf or in some other place of display, and alsov when one canis placed upon another. This ordinarilyis accomplished by applying wrap-around labels to the can bodies on which the color designation, as well as advertising matter, is imprinted. Ongthe other hand, it is oftendesirable to lithograph the cans, under which circumstances it is not feasible to identify the color on the can body; and it is a further object of my invention, therefore, to increase the depth of the, peripheral portion of4 the` lid and apply thereto the color designation where it may readily be seen when the cans are on display, even when stacked one upon another.

This feature permits a quantity of cans that are to be used for paint of a given character to be lithographed with the trade name of the paint or similar matter and other general information on the can body, and with the color designation imprinted upon or otherwise applied to the peripheral surface of the lid. The lids may be produced in lots with an individual color designation on those of each lot, and as the cans are filled with paint lids may be selected from the appropriate lots according to the color of the paint.

Other objects and advantages will appear as I proceed to describe the invention by reference to the accompanying drawingr wherein like parts are designated by like numerals in the different views.l j 1 In the drawing, Y Y

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a can embodying my invention; y

Fig. 2 is a plan v iew, partly in section, as indicated b the line 2*--2 of Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the lid, the present and following views being on a scalefconsiderably larger than that of the preceding views;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the can body in the region of the neck, and

Fig. 5 is a similar detail showing the lid applied tov the neck.

The can body, designated-generally by the reference numeral 1, is composed of a cylindrical wall 2, a circular bottom 3, and an annular top 4. The top and bottom are shown as connected to the cylindrical wall by lock seams 5 and 6, respectively. Characteristic of such means of connection, the'portions of the top 4 and bottom 3, adjacent the respective seams 5 and 6, are depressed to a depth approximately equal to the vertical dimension of the seams.

Rising from the top 4 about the relatively large central opening thereof is a neck designated generally by the reference numeral 10, the same, as best shown in Fig. 4, comprising an outer wall 11, an end wall 12, and an inner wall 13, the lower `edge of the latter being curled inwardly to provide a bead14, the inner side of which serves as a seating portion for a part of the lid as will hereinafter appear. The neck is preferably formed integral with the top 4, as shown in the drawing, and it rises to a substantial height above the plane of the top and merges, at its upper endv into the curved end wall 12 from the inner edge of which depends the wall 1,3, the latter wall having a considerably lesser vertical dimension than the outer wall 11. The walls 11 and 13 diverge downwardly ata very slight angle. The depressedportion of the top 4 between the seam 5 and the neck 10 provides a chine 15. n

20 denotes a circular-lid whose peripheral portion is formed to provide a downwardly opening channel to which the numeral 21 is generally applied, said channel including an outer flange 2 2 and an inner -ange 23, the latter being joined Vat its lower end to the central portion of the lid, shown in the present instance as frusto-conical, although it may be of lany otherdesired configuration. A

curved web 24 connects the upper ends of said inner and to` about. the death 0f the leek 'seam @jas hereinbcfore stated, and the inset portion is joined, through a downwardly and inwardly inclined or frusto-conical part 27, to the central portion 28 of the bottom, thus producing a chine 30. By reason of this bottom formation, when one can is placed upon another the chine 30 of the upper can receives the elevated peripheral portion of the lid of the lower can, and by cooperation with such portion, the inclined part 27 tends to vertically align the cans.

The neck and lid of the container, as well as the other parts thereof if desired, are fabricated of vresilient sheet metal, and the cooperating parts of the neck and lid are sized and shaped to snugly lit each other. When applying the lid 20 to the neck 10, the outer flange 22 of the ICC Y indentedA Feb. 14,1956

' eregast lid, by reason of its relative size and shape, removes from the outer wall 11 of the neck, any paint or liquid that may be present thereon, causing it to drain into the chine 15 of the top 4 below the normal level of the lower edge of the flange 22. Likewise, the upper portion of the inner flange 23 of the lid will enter the corresponding portion of the' neck 10 in the nature of a relatively tight fitting plug and wipe from the inner wall 13 such paint or liquid as may have been deposited thereon. As the lid is forced home,` the inset portion of the ange 23 below the step 26 will frictionally engage the seating portion of the bead 14 and form a friction seal throughout the circumference of the lid.

It will be seen, therefore, that three friction seals are provided by my construction, one of considerable area 'f between the ange 22 and the wall 11, a second of somewhat less area between the upper portion of the Flange 23 and the corresponding part of the inner wall 13, and a third between the contracted lower end portion of said ange 23 and the bead 14. Any paint or liquid left between the end wall 12 of the neck and the web 24 of the lid, and any wiped from the upper portion of the inner wall 13 and entrapped between the bead 14 and the step 26, will enhance the sealing of the container. However, such paint or liquid as is left in the places mentioned will be protected from the air and therefore will not harden and interfere with the removal of the lid, such removal being accomplished in the usual manner by means of a screwdriver or the like fulcmrned on the top edge of the can and engaged beneath the bead 25 of the lid.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A slip-joint friction seal closure means for containers comprising a neck of resilient sheet metal that is of inverted U-shape in cross section having an outer wall of substantial height and an inner wall that terminates at its lower end in an inwardly extended seating portion, and a resilient sheet metal lid incorporating a downwardly opening channel for the reception of said neck, the outer flange of the channel presenting continuous uninterrupted inner and outer surfaces from top to bottom and being of a size and shape to snugly fit the outer wall of the neck for a considerable portion of the height of the latter and with its lower edge a substantial distance above the lower end of the neck, the inner ange being of a size and shape to tightly t within the upper end of the neck and have frictional engagement with a relatively wide area of the inner wall thereof, the lower portion of said inner ange being contracted for frictional engagement within the aforesaid seating portion of the inner wall of the neck and being of substantially frusto conical shape immediately above said seating portion so as to provide therewith accommodations for a liquid seal.

2. A slip-joint friction seal closure means for containers comprising a neck of resilient sheet metal that is of inverted U-shape in cross section having an outer wall of substantial height and an inner wall of less vertical extent than the outer wall and that terminates at its lower end in an inwardly extending seating portion, and a resilient sheet metal lid incorporating a downwardly open ing channel for the reception of said neck, the outer ange of the channel terminating at its lower edge in an outwardly projecting bead and presenting continuous uninterrupted inner and outer surfaces from top to bottom and being of a size and shape to snugly fit the outer wall of the neck for a considerable portion of the height of the latter with said bead a substantial distance above the lower end of the neck, the inner ange being of a size and shape to tightly lit within the upper end of the neck and have frictional engagement with a relatively wide area of the inner wall thereof, said inner ange converging below said area and then continuing downwardly substantially vertically for frictional engagement within the aforesaid seating portion of the inner wall of the neck,

v the converging portion of said inner ange being so shaped relative to the inner wall-immediately above said seating portion as to provide space for a liquid seal.

3. A slip-joint friction seal closure means for containers comprising an annular neck of resilient sheet metal that is of inverted U-shape in cross section having a slightly upwardly tapering outer wall of substantial height and a slightly downwardly convergent inner wall of less vertical extent than said outer wall and terminating at its lower end in an inwardly curled bead providing an annular seating portion, and a sheet metal lid incorporating a downwardly opening annular channel for the reception of said neck, the outer flange of the channel presenting continuous uninterrupted inner and outer surfaces from top to bottom and terminating at its lower end in an outwardly curled bead, said flange being of a size and shape to snugly fit the outer wall of the neck for a considerable portion of the length of the latter with said bead a substantial distance above the lower end of the neck, the inner flange of the channel being of a size and shape to tightly fit within the upper end of the neck and have frictional engagement with a relatively wide area of the inner wall thereof, said inner flange converging below said area and then continuing downwardly for frictional engagement with the inner surface of the aforesaid seating portion, the converging portion of said inner ange and the top portion of the bead of said inner wall providing between them space for a liquid seal.

4. A slip-joint friction seal closure means for containers according to claim l, wherein the parts of the neck and closure that are designed for engagement with each other are so proportioned that the top of said channel is spaced from the top of the neck, thereby to provide accommodations for a liquid seal, when the contracted portion of said inner ange engages and is stopped by the inwardly extended seating portion of said inner wall.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,206,475 Shalita Nov. 28, 1916 1,552,134 Frey Sept. 1, 1925 1,861,570 Hopkins June 7, 1932 1,966,688 Sebell July 17, 1934 2,652,947 Henchert Sept. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,353 Great Britain of 1906 269,681 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1950 Mmm n M, 

